


I Have a Little Dreidel

by Rusted_Crutches



Category: Cafe Cardamari Tales, Splatoon
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Baby Fic, Completely Self-Indulgent and I am NOT Sorry, Domestically, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Octokuh, Snowed In, Squidmas, Tetrox and Arnick Are Married, Tetrox is Jewish, Well Whatever The Splatoon Equivalent Is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-09 12:09:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20994575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rusted_Crutches/pseuds/Rusted_Crutches
Summary: “What in the world is even in here?!”She slowly lifts the lid as the box fidgets erratically and is absolutely shocked at what she finds. Tetrox gasps aloud and almost shakes her head in disbelief. She blinks rapidly to clear her vision, making sure she wasn’t seeing things. She drops to her knees for a closer look, clasping the container by its sides. She had never seen one up close before.Within the cardboard box, alongside an assortment of commercialized Octokuh and Squidmas items, there lies a tiny - octoling - baby girl.





	I Have a Little Dreidel

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic is kinda along the same lines as my first fic I ever uploaded; Thread and Needle. Both that fic and this one are Ideas I have had for a VERY long time. They both spawned around the same time, but I only now got to this one. I'm very glad I waited until I had more experience under my belt to write this, I think it turned out perfectly. 
> 
> Both Octokuh and Jewish Tetrox headcanons inspired/taken from Unwanted House Guest.
> 
> Also, we don't have a canon octoling development chart, but i'd say the baby in this fic looks about the stage in between the second and third stage. Pretty much stage three but MUCH smaller and less toddler like. And yes, despite her appearance she is an infant.
> 
> Enjoy

“Good _lord_, it’s colder than Octavio’s mixtape out here!”

Tetrox sets down several large bags of groceries as she steps outside. Less than a few seconds out of the store and her toes, fingers, and everything below the knee already starting to numb. Bringing her hands to cup her face she breathes hot breaths in attempts to thaw them out. She wrings them together before struggling to button her Squid Nordic she had thrown on haphazardly this morning. It does little to fight the frigid December winds, violently rustling the bags at her feet. 

She looks up into the dark sky, noticing the clouds on the very edges of the skyline slightly lighter than the rest, signifying the setting sun just over the horizon. Is it that late already? She was just doing some last-minute Octokuh and Squidmas shopping, she was only supposed to be out for a _couple_ of hours. Geez, she really lost track of time.

A powerful gust of wind blows through her, chilling Tetrox to the very core. Distant thunder sounds off as the clouds get darker and the temperature drops impossibly lower. It’s going to snow soon and she’d end up with frozen ink if she didn’t get home in time. The last thing she needed was to be stuck in a hospital with Arnick nagging at her bedside — _ it wasn’t fun the first time _.

She shakes her head fondly. Sometimes she wonders if marrying that man was really worth the hassle. Even so, she wouldn’t change a thing.

Recollecting all the bags at her feet, she sets off at a brisk jog—

“_ ACK!” _

_ — _and almost immediately tumbles to the ground with a painful thud, groceries spilling everywhere.

Tetrox groans in a mixture of annoyance and minor pain. She sits up into a kneel and looks behind her. She spots a discarded, shabby (and now dented) cardboard box sticking out ever so slightly from the narrow alleyway to her right. Giving it a dirty glare she brings herself to her feet with a huff, dusting herself off and quickly gathering half her shopping list from the ground. _ Dang nasty litterbugs, _she thinks to herself as she sets them to the side.

She approaches the box, hands on her hips disapprovingly. She nudges it lightly with her foot. Looking to her left she sees a dumpster not even five feet away. She almost cracked her head on the pavement because someone couldn’t bother to make it more than a_ few inches _ . _ Really _. With an annoyed sigh, she reaches down to grab the box. Way to leave someone else to do your dirty work.

Before she even lays a hand on it, the box _ jumps _ in place, spooking Tetrox and causing her to let out a yelp of surprise. She clutches her chest like she’s having a heart attack, whispering a quick _ Jesus Christ _(along with some unnecessary swears) under her breath. She looks back to the box and stares at it in disbelief. She reaches for it again - slowly this time - and places a hand on its lid. It wiggles under her touch and she snatches her hand away.

“_ What in the world is even in here?!” _

She slowly lifts the lid as the box fidgets erratically and is absolutely shocked at what she finds. Tetrox gasps aloud and almost shakes her head in disbelief. She blinks rapidly to clear her vision, making sure she wasn’t _ seeing _ things. She drops to her knees for a closer look, clasping the container by its sides. She had never _ seen _one up close before.

Within the cardboard box, alongside an assortment of commercialized Octokuh and Squidmas items, there lies a tiny - _ octoling _\- baby girl. Tetrox stares down at her and is so flabbergasted she’s absolutely frozen in place. The baby looks up at her head tilted almost as if she’s perplexed by the situation as much as the other. Her red gloopy body ripples as she kicks her tiny little legs.

Tetrox’s suddenly snapped out of her trance when the baby begins giggling loudly. Smiling a big toothless grin, she grasps for her with all four of her limbs. It’s like she isn’t at all distressed by the situation, and all she is concerned about is wanting to play. She gurgles, bubbles of ink protruding from her small mouth.

Tetrox reaches out a finger and lets the baby grab it — but just for a moment. She recoils in shock when ink makes contact with skin, her touch absolutely _ freezing _ . She examines her finger and winces at the red splotch left in the tiny... _ hand’s _ ... place. The area burns lightly as though she was burned by a flame — _ wet _. She looks back at her with pity.

How long had this poor thing been out here — and who had she been left by? Tetrox looks around carefully, look for clues or any trace of another person. Maybe some homeless parents were around, and the baby was left like this temporarily. Maybe someone would be back for her!

Her heart sinks when she finds the shopping district completely empty. The last store has just finished closing for the weekend, and everyone had long since headed home to prepare for numerous different holidays. And no signs of anyone living in the alleyway to boot. It was almost… _ eerie _. A lone baby left abandoned in an alleyway on a cold desolate night just before the holiday season, with no available answer as to why. 

The baby calls her attention back as she begins to cry. She looks down and sees white flakes land on and melt into her skin, burning her as much as Tetrox’s tentacles. _ It began snowing _.

In a split second of panic, she makes a decision. Partially unbuttoning her coat she begins carefully lifting the baby from within the box. Though she pauses, noticing a small plastic dreidel lodged in her inky hand. She removes it and casts it aside before she places the baby against her chest. She clings to her instinctively, and Tetrox shivers at the cold wetness of the baby’s skin seeping through her shirt. She buttons her coat in haste and assuring the baby is secure, she stands up, grabs her groceries, and rushes home.

* * *

Tetrox struggles to enter the apartment, fighting with the many bags in her hands as she attempts to open the door. Finally, after much difficulty, she grasps the knob and flings it open with great force. _ Thank god _it was still unlocked from when she left. She shouts out for Arnick.

“_ Nicky! _” She slowly waddles through the living room, absolutely freezing and trying to be mindful of the sleeping baby in her coat.

Though, it seems she wasn’t mindful enough. She feels her begin to wiggle and move around, woken from her nap — likely from the shouting. She stops in the middle of the room and makes a pitiful attempt at bracing her with her forearm, but it doesn’t help at all. Tetrox bends backward at an awkward angle to keep her from slipping any further and swears under her breath. She gives an exasperated hiss into the ceiling. _ Where the heck was he? _

“Arnick, will you _ please _—!”

A door slams “Good _ Lord _ woman I am _ coming _,” Arnick shouts as he enters the room from the bedroom hallway, grumbling to himself about something or another.

Tetrox rolls her eyes “Yes, and a ‘_ Honey, I'm home! _ ’ to you too, _ Sugar _. Now hush up and help me before my back gives out!”

He rushes over quickly, taking a good few bags out of her hands. He sets them over on the kitchen island while Tetrox lets the rest slip down to the floor gently with a sigh of relief. She readjusts both her posture and the baby before looking down at her with a weary smile. The little octoling peeks up at her through the small opening in Tetrox’s jacket.

“Was all of this really necessary?” she hears Arnick call from the kitchen “We don’t need _ this _much food.” He stacks a few cans in a cupboard.

She walks over to the island “Well, with Bella and Cy comin’ over for Squidmas I wanna make sure we’ll still have enough for Octokuh too.”

“They’re _ two _ people, Tetrox. Not an entire _ platoon _ ,” he deadpans, turning away from her. “Truly, did we _ need _this much extra?”

Tetrox’s smile fades “Oh, uh, I actually got quite a _ bit _extra while I was out…”

Arnick continues stacking “I pray it isn’t more _ cranberry sauce _,” he says in disgust as he examines a can with a disapproving look. “I’ll never understand how you can eat so much of their putrid jelly,” he mutters.

“Uh, no, nothin’ like that.” she shifts in place “I… _ found _ something _ else _. It’s uh, pretty serious…”

He groans, still facing away from her. “Tetrox, I _ swear _ if you brought home _ another _ baby bird— need I remind you — _ once more _ — that I am _ allergic _—”

“No, no,” Tetrox interrupts “It's nothing like that…” she pauses for a moment, looking down her coat “Well, I mean, it’s _ kinda _in the same vein…” The baby giggles.

Arnick freezes in place, arm raised and can in hand as he was setting it in the cupboard. He turns his head slightly and squints, eyeing her suspiciously out of the corner of his vision, a single brow raised. Tetrox holds her breath, another adorable giggle erupting from her coat. She smiles nervously, putting far too many teeth into it to be considered anything innocent.

“_ Tetroooooox _,” he says accusingly.

“_ Whaaaaaaat _,” she replies back sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes, grin still present.

He turns to her fully, crossing his arms and looks her up and down again. His eyes stop at her chest — or rather, the obvious large lump protruding in her coat. She tries to still the baby, now wiggling _ wildly _in her coat.

“Tetrox, what’s in your coat?”

“Uh, well,” she says nervously “how do I put this…”

She looks down, the small baby octoling staring back at her, smiling. Tongue sticking out in a blip, bubbles blowing out of her mouth as she gurgles happily. A tiny hand reaches up for her face grazing her chin. Wow, there really was no easy way to explain this…

Arnick’s brow furrows in concern. “Tetrox,” he says sternly “_ What is in your coat.” _

She doesn’t respond right away, and he steps toward her reaching with his hand. Well, guess just rip off the bandaid, huh? Before he reaches her she quickly begins undoing her coat. She unbuttons it just enough to reveal the baby's head and shoulders. Arnick stops in his tracks just a foot or two away from her, eyes going wide like saucers.

Tetrox turns her body slightly to present her to him. Her face comes into view and she makes an indistinguishable sound and attempts to wave at Arnick. Though it’s more a weak flailing of her arm than anything.

“_ Surprise… _?”

Several beats of silence pass. She watches Arnick carefully, waiting for any kind of reaction. He just stares, completely speechless. She tilts her head.

“You okay there, Sugar?”

Arnick looks from the baby to Tetrox’s face. Then from her to the baby. From the baby back to Tetrox. The cycle repeats several times, all the while he is silent. She shifts from nervousness to concern.

“Sugar—”

“TETROX, DID YOU STEAL A _ BABY _?!” He screams suddenly.

She’s taken aback “What— No!” she says absolutely horrified “_ Why _would you—”

“Because that’s something you would do!”

“I—!” Tetrox cut herself off, pausing for a moment to deliberate. “You’re right but I'm still offended!”

Arnick looks absolutely horrified, mouth agape, “You can’t just _ steal _someone’s baby!”

“I didn’t! I _ found _her!” She pats the baby’s head as it fusses in her arms, growing upset from their yelling. Tetrox begins speaking at a normal level “She was in a box by a dumpster with no one around. She was freezing out there, I had to take her somewhere safe.”

“And why not the _ police _ or the _ fire station _.”

“Just look at it out there, Nicky,” she sputters in frustration, gesturing to the hallway window. “It’s snowin’ like Mount Koi out there!”

Taking a look out the window one could see it was indeed snowing heavily. Large flakes fall to the ground as if they weighed more than a mere few grams. The wind howls violently, conjuring into a blinding blizzard in a matter of an hour. It was far below freezing. An inklings ink would freeze in a matter of seconds.

“I couldn’t just wait for someone to arrive, or take her there myself. I woulda been stuck in this junk and wouldn’t have made it home.”

Arnick opens his mouth to object, but quickly closes it when he finds he has nothing to say. Seeing the sincerity on Tetrox’s face, his eyes soften and he relents with a sigh. He shakes his head.

“Alright, alright, _ fair enough _ ,” he admits rather sourly “but, this is an _ infant _ ,” he gestures to the baby in question “we’re not _ fit _ to care for a child — and we certainly can’t _ keep _it.”

“What—? No, no, no, of course not!” Tetrox insists “And— wait, what do you _mean _we're ‘not fit to care for a child’,” she says shifting the topic suddenly. “It’s _just _a baby.”

Arnick face softens in a way Tetrox rarely sees, one she knows he wears when he’s being sincere. At the same time, she can see a hint of painful somber in his eyes. She’s left wondering if something she said offended him.

Despite the clear emotion on his face, he speaks normally. “It’s not _ just _ a baby, Tetrox. Children are plenty of work at _ every _ stage.” The baby lets out a giggle as if to support his point. “We have never done this before, nor have we even _ thought _ of preparing for it. More than knowledge, we _ certainly _ don’t have supplies, or—”

“_ Nicky _ ,” she says calmly interrupting him, calling his attention back “We’re not _ adopting _, I’m just keeping her safe for the time being. This is only gonna be until the snow clears out — a few hours at most.”

His face returns to his usual grumpy one. He raises a skeptical brow at her, unconvinced. He folds his arms as he speaks.

“Somehow I feel by the end of this you’re going to beg me to keep her.”

Tetrox shakes her head “Nope, I won't get attached, I promise. Scouts honor.” She raises the wrong hand in a mock pledge. The baby mimics her acting and raises her globby hand.

I mean, c'mon, she had a lot more willpower than that. She wouldn’t just let her _ emotions _take hold of her. She could do this easy-peasy then hand her off to the proper authorities with no problem.

After a moment Arnick shakes his head, muttering a “_ fine _” under his breath. He turns back to finish putting away the groceries. Tetrox fights the urge to fist pump the air, instead reaching for the baby and taking her out of her coat. Which, along with her shirt was quite soaked (though thankfully you couldn’t tell at a glance, with the dark cloth).

“You hear that little gal?” Tetrox raises the baby above her head, and it gurgles happily above her “You’re safe with us!”

The baby makes another happy sound and bubbly spit emerges from her mouth. Tetrox takes a finger in brushes them away, only _ slightly _disgusted by having touched baby spit. Gosh, how could something so gross come from something so cute?

...

_ Oh no _.

* * *

A few hours later and the snow hasn’t stopped. It hasn’t even let up. If anything, it may have gotten stronger. Though, neither Arnick or Tetrox could tell with the thick haze letting them see not five feet out of their windows.

All they knew was, according to a neighbor that had stopped by, there’s already almost four and a half inches of snow on the ground, and it showed no signs of slowing. At this rate, they’d be snowed-in in no time. So much for ‘_ just a little while _’.

Tetrox looks away from the window and blows her bang out of her face. She’s laying on the floor of the living room while Arnick prepares dinner in the kitchen. She holds the baby above her head, soaring her through the air like a plane. She laughs and giggles above her, and Tetrox can’t help but smile.

“Hey, Nicky,” she calls out “What do you think we should call her?”

She hears Arnick sigh “God— Tetrox, don’t _ name _it.”

“I’m not namin’ it,” she pouts “I just don’t wanna keep referring to her as ‘_ the baby _’.” On cue, the baby coos in response.

“Do you even _ know _for sure if it’s a girl?”

Tetrox pauses her movement to examine the baby in thought. She never saw a real octoling baby before this point, but judging by the tentacles she was pretty sure. Baby boys aren’t exactly a common occurrence. She tilts her head, and she does the same. She hums in amusement.

“I don’t see why it matters,” she says, continuing to soar the baby above her “All octarian names are all pretty much gender-neutral.” she shrugs “Besides, it's not like we’ll have her around long enough to correct us.”

A moment of silence passes, nothing but the sound of a baby giggling quietly and food sizzling on the stove.  
“ _ Very well _,” he says almost annoyed “What do you have in mind?”

Tetrox takes a moment to think about earlier that day when she found her, just a few hours ago. All alone, in a box full of junk and plastic holiday knickknacks, a single dreidel embedded in her gooey hand. She smiles to herself, already having made her decision.

“Drei”

A common one among the octarians, but overuse didn’t matter to her. A name whose meaning was lost to time millennia ago, but still beautiful nonetheless. Who knows, maybe she can convince the people who take her to keep it.

“Drei?” Arnick asks confused, the word sounding so foreign spoken in inklings tongue “That means _ three _in German, doesn’t it?”

Tetrox’s smile drops into a sour frown. “You ruined it,” she sighs “You ruined the moment.”

He rolls his eyes.

* * *

“Tetrox… _ what are you doing _,” Arnick says deadpan, more as a statement than a question.

He stands at the table, two plates of food in hand. He watches Tetrox almost curiously. She sits in a dining chair with Drei in her lap holding a spoonful of cranberry sauce in her right hand. She’s attempting to feed her while holding her steady with her elbows. It’s going as well as you can imagine, more cranberry sauce having landed all over her legs than gotten into Drei’s mouth.

“I’m trying to get her to eat somethin’,” Tetrox huffs frustrated

He raises a brow as he sits beside her, setting both their plates in front of each other respectively “Cranberry sauce?”

“We don’t exactly got any baby food lyin’ around, I had to improvise. Google said it’s fine,” she says with a shrug.

She tries to guide the spoon into Drei’s mouth once more. She only giggles and flails her little arms, whacking the utensil out of her hands. It slides across the table and lands mere inches from Arnick’s plate, leaving a trail of sauce behind it.

Arnick stifles a chuckle “Glad to know I'm not the only one who can’t stand the stuff,” he says handing the spoon back.

“_ Hardy-har _,” she mocks “That was an accident and you know it.” She snatches the spoon away from him.

Tetrox tries _ again _ to feed her (unsuccessfully). The spoon clattering out her hand and a can of food landing (impressively, not spilling everywhere) on the floor. She groans in frustration.

“C’mon you lil ink sack, just go for the spoon, it’s not that hard!”

Drei laughs loudly and tetrox sighs in defeat. The position was just too awkward. Curse babies and their slippery skin and wiggly bodies! There’s gotta be a better way.

“Get two pillows off the couch and put her in the chair with one on each side,” Arnick interjects suddenly. He’s reading that morning’s paper (Which appeared seemingly out of nowhere) not paying her any mind “It’s no baby seat, but it should allow you to _ actually _get food in her mouth.”

Tetrox does as she’s told, retrieving two throw pillows and setting them along with Drei into the dining chair. With a pillow on each side squishing her between both armrests, there’s just enough support to keep her still and upright for feeding. She eats a spoonful of cranberry sauce happily. Tetrox smiles at her husband smugly as Drei clasps the can greedily begging for more. Arnick grimaces.

* * *

“Alright, kiddo, how’re we gonna do this…” Tetrox muses to herself.

She stands in the middle of the living room with the baby in her arms. It’s around 10 P.M at night and her and Arnick should have been in bed over half an hour ago. Warm PJ’s on and more than a little tired, they (well, Tetrox at least) were trying to figure out how and where Drei was going to sleep for the night. Arnick was unfortunate enough to be dragged into this as a result of Tetrox’s begging. Her puppy dog eyes were quite difficult to resist.

“Should I just cradle you in my arms and sleep on the couch...?”

Drei babbles out a response that may or may not have actually been helpful. Unfortunately, neither of them speak baby, so it’s up for debate. So her input isn’t really of any value at the moment.

“You will very well crush her in your sleep if you do that.” Arnick yawns. He stands in the doorway of their bedroom leaning against the frame, arms folded.

“Yeah, well we don’t exactly have a crib lyin’ around anywhere,” She says with a sigh, Drei growing fussier in her arms by the second.

Arnick shrugs lazily “Place her in a cardboard box with a few blankets or something,” he fights back another yawn “Just get on with it so we can sleep.”

“_ Aw _, but I don’t wanna leave her by herself, she’ll get cold. Or even lonely!”

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration “Tetrox— No, you know what? I don’t care. I’m going to bed, with or without you.”

“But—!”

“I am _ tired _ . Good _ . Night _.” 

“Good luck sleeping without me you snugly son of a bitch!!”

Arnick practically slams the door behind him, ignoring her. Tetrox huffs annoyed. She can’t exactly blame him, he was probably more tired than her. But still, she could use some help. Guess she was the only one in this house that cared about an infant's well being.

Suddenly Drei begins sniffling in her arms and Tetrox is quick to consider Arnick’s suggestion. The last thing she needed was a crying baby to keep her awake for the rest of the night. She knows he’ll appreciate it least of all, and she’d never live it down.

Tetrox hastily grabs a spare cardboard box lying around and a few extra blankets, deciding to set her up in her old room. It feels odd to be here among the dust and old papers, but Drei seems to like it just fine. She lets out a sigh of relief and stays up with her making sure she wouldn’t stir.

She never makes it to bed, being too worried to leave Drei’s side. She awakes to the sound of her gurgling, curled up to her box with a crick in her neck and a numb left side. When she sits up she realizes there’s a blanket draped over her and a pillow under her head — which she hadn’t gone to sleep with. She’s also surprised to find Drei happily swaddled in a small yellow baby blanket she has never seen before.

Tetrox smiles to herself softly.

* * *

The storm outside rages violently, rattling the windows and blowing freezing cold air through even the smallest of cracks. Tetrox and Arnick can’t see more than a few feet outside. The blizzard hides the world below like a thick blanket, leaving the state of the world below a mystery. The news says if things didn’t let up soon, the city would be covered in at least three feet of snow in a few days time.

Tetrox sighs and grabs the remote to the TV, shutting it off with a _ click _. She sits on the couch lazily with Drei sitting in her lap facing her. She chews her gloopy hand idly, drooling everywhere.

“Man, I can’t believe it’s still goin’,” Tetrox comments.

“Neither can I,” Arnick says from the kitchen “Thankfully we were well prepared, this was quite the surprise. It came out of nowhere.”

Tetrox hums absentmindedly and begins lightly bouncing Drei on her knee. She giggles and looks back up to her with an absolutely earth-shattering smile. Her eyes twinkle and full of wonder and joy as she grabs for her with enthusiasm. It all downright melts Tetrox’s heart. She sighs wistfully. Oh, lord, she was done for.

“Maybe it’s the world tryin’ to tell us something’…,”

“_ Tetrox, _don’t start—”

“I ain’t starting _ nothin’ _ ,” she says annoyed “I’m just _ sayin’ _it’s an awful funny coincidence is all.”

Arnick scoffs, still facing away from her “_ Riiiight _.”

She stops bouncing her leg, much to the disappointment of Drei. “And what’s _ that _supposed to mean?”

He sighs irritably “It’s just that I know _ you _ , Tetrox. And I _ know _ what’s going to happen.” he turns to her “In two days time you’re going to _ beg _ me to keep her, and when I _ still _ say no, you’re going to get upset and I'll be forced to deal with your moping — _ even though I specifically told you not to get attached _.”

Tetrox can feel her face heating up with anger “Oh as if I'm the only one! Don’t think I don’t see you gettin’ her to eat the rest of her food when I ain’t looking!”

“_ Christ _ —” Arnick holds his head as if trying to soothe a headache “Of _ course _ I am going to help care for her, she’s an _ infant _ . But that's _ all _ that I'm doing. You _ never _put her down, or even let her sleep alone.” he throws his hands up in frustration, voice octaves louder than necessary.

“Oh, well I'm _ sorry _for giving a damn about a child well being!” she hisses back. Said child wiggles uncomfortably in her lap, attempting to escape.

“That’s not true and you know it,” Arnick bites out “_ You’re acting like she’s really you’re _—!”

He’s suddenly cut off by the sound of Drei crying. In a matter of moments, she’s straight-up bawling and screaming at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoes through the apartment (and likely the ones below and above) as she flails around tiny fist in an angry tantrum in Tetrox’s lap.

“Ah, hell, look what you’ve done, Nicky! Now she’s gonna be cryin’!’,” She says above Drei’s wailing, now standing and holding her as far away from herself as possible, the noise hurting her ears.

Arnick rushes from the kitchen to Tetrox in the living room “You were the one yelling right next to her head!”

“Oh hush up and make yourself useful. Find something to distract her!”

Arnick looks at her like she’s stupid “What— you want me to just pull a baby toy out of thin air?”

“Improvise—! Oh, uhg, never-mind!” Tetrox growls “I’ll do it myself, just hold her!” She shoves Drei into his arms, despite his protests.

She reaches for something on the couch but pauses at the sound of silence. She turns back to Arnick and finds Drei completely calm and composed in his arms. Despite the runny nose and reddened eyes, it was like she hadn’t been crying at all. He stares down at her in amazement, almost as shocked and surprised as Tetrox.

“How did you…,” she trails off. She looks from the baby to Arnick face a couple of times, a funny look appearing on her face. Drei laughs at her.

“What?” Arnick shifts under her gaze, unsettled.

Tetrox puts her hands behind her back and shrugs “Nothin’,” she says sweetly “Just think the world’s tryin’ to tell us somethin’.”

Arnick frowns. “Storm or not, within a week's time we hand her off to someone else.”

Her smile fades.

* * *

Tetrox has Drei sat on the table, presenting to her as a teacher to a student. Drei watches her in amazement, not understanding a _ word _of what she’s saying — for she is a baby. She waves at Tetrox with a goofy grin, her other hand in her mouth.

“Look, Kiddo,” She begins “I know you ain’t got many skills, past being able to balance your own head, at the moment, but I _ really _need you to lend me a hand.”

Drei tilts her head and blinks.

“I know we’ve haven’t known each other long, but I've grown quite fond of yah, and I wanna keep you around. Oh, and I know the feeling’s mutual. You don’t have to say it,” Tetrox finishes smugly.

Drei smiles a gummy opened mouth grin and giggles.

“And I _ know _ you like _ Nicky _ a lot, too.” she steps forward and pinches her adorable little cheek before stepping back “But he ain’t as warmed up to you as I am, and you can’t stay unless you can get on his good side — but no need to fret, _ I got a plan _.”

Tetrox lifts Drei from the table and holds her above her head letting her soar through the air. Drei gurgles and blows spit bubbles, wiggling adorably. She stares at the other below her attentively.

“As much as he likes to pretend he’s a grumpy old crap, Nicky’s really a big ol’ softy under it all. It won’t take much for you to cram your way into his heart. Heck, even _ I _ managed to do that — and I even married him!” Tetrox boasts proudly. She still remembers it all as if it were yesterday. “So,” she continues “what I'm thinkin’ is if you can call him ‘ _ Daddy _ ’ or ‘ _ Papa _’ a few times, he’ll be absolutely head over heels for yah!”

“Whatya say, Drei, think you can learn to talk within the next two days?”

Drei is silent for a moment before suddenly breaking into a fit of laughter and flailing about in her hands. A blob of ink drips off her body and lands smack in the middle of Tetrox’s forehead. She sighs in disappointment and lowers her to eye level.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

Can’t blame her for trying.

* * *

The following morning Tetrox wakes up sometime in the afternoon. She couldn’t tell at first glance, the world still blanketed in a thick haze of clouds and snow. But when she turns to find Arnick’s side of the bed empty, giving her a direct line of sight to his clock, her eyes bulge open wide. _ It is half-past two._

She scrambles out of bed desperately, fighting blankets and pillows for her freedom. She was up so late last night trying to get Drei to sleep it must have caused her to oversleep! Ugh, that’s what she gets for going to her own bed instead of staying by her side like she normally did (Drei was an impressively effective alarm clock). All she wanted was to wake up without a sore back!

Nearly falling to the floor in her haste, Tetrox staggers out of their bedroom and into the hallway. She heads for Drei’s room but is surprised to find the door already open. She spots the box she had been sleeping in completely empty with her yellow blanket cast aside. Panic fills her instantly. _ What— where?! _

“_ Ma’am _ , would you be so kind as to _ release my tentacle _.”

Arnick’s voice followed by the laugh of a baby sounds from the kitchen. She darts her head to the left and she spots him along with Drei dining at the dining room table. It appears he’s trying to feed her more cranberry sauce — rather unsuccessfully. She has one of his tentacles in her mouth, chewing on it. Though she quickly releases it when Arnick’s hand comes to intervene.

“_ Thank you, _ ” he says, quickly pulling his tentacles into his usual ponytail “While I may look tasty, I can assure you seafood is _ terrible _for one such as yourself. Try again in a few years.”

Tetrox brings a hand to her mouth fights back a laugh. It wouldn’t be so cute when she had a large set of shark teeth in that little mouth of hers. She could only imagine what it’s like to have a teething baby, let alone one whose mouth rivaled a _ shark _.

Drei laughs loudly and flails her arms about in happiness. She knocks the can of sauce out of his hands (something she has done to her countless of times before) and sends it flying high into the air. It lands on the ground after a small bounce, spilling dark red jelly all over the floor. Arnick just stares at it and sighs in defeat.

“I can’t quite blame you,” he says “I can’t exactly stomach the stuff myself.”

Tetrox smiles, watching them contently from the hallway. Though she wants to stand here all day, she only gets a few more stolen minutes watching them. She has to intervene when Arnick attempts to feed Drei breakfast cereal. She gives him a knowing look as she feeds her, but Arnick insists it all meant nothing.

It was the start of it all.

* * *

The storm lasts for a good long while. More than almost a week and a half, in fact. They’re completely snowed in at this point, and it’ll be a few more days before snow plows and shovel workers come through and things begin to melt. Tetrox hates the cold but appreciates she gets more time with Drei. Though, it was better for her than it was for Tetrox.

Ever since Tetrox caught Arnick trying to feed her on his own that one morning, he’s been helping out with her more and more. Sure, he had been helping already when Tetrox needed a break or things were too much to handle -- but this wasn’t the same. He would put Drei to sleep and feed her without being prompted, even giving her a bath a few days ago. He was holding her a lot more too and would hardly put her down.

Tetrox wanted to mention it. Maybe even poke fun at and tease him for it. But she decided not to, instead of enjoying it for what it was. She let Arnick have Drei whenever he wanted, and in the end, it helped a lot.

By the time the sun comes out and helps the snow finished melting and people could finally leave their homes again, he hadn’t mention sending Drei away even once. He would set a further deadline each time Tetrox brought it up, but they always came and went without any consequence. Soon, Tetrox stopped saying anything altogether, and he seemed to forget.

“You know,” Tetrox says one day “this week has stretched on _ awfully _long.”

She’s leaning over the back of the living room couch, resting on her elbows. She eyes Arnick from where he sits, slouched back and legs propped up on the coffee table as he watches TV. He has Drei on his chest, sleeping with her head on his hat like a pillow. They can hear tiny little snores coming from her.

Arnick raises a questioning eyebrow at her “And?”

“Nothin’,” Tetrox shrugs “Just think its funny is all.”

He hums noncommittally.

“Y’know, we’re gonna have to go shoppin’ for some _ actually _baby supplies before the holidays hit.”

“Mhmm.”

“Clothes, food, _ a proper baby seat and bed _.”

“Yep.”

“Who knows, maybe while we’re out we can find another baby. Y’know, to keep this one company.”

“Tetrox. _ Don’t push it _.”

Tetrox laughs and gives him a peck on the cheek, leaving a lipstick stain. She hugs him from behind tightly and sighs with a content smile. _ So, this is what it’s like to have a family. _

**Author's Note:**

> [Here's my tumblr you can follow for more CCT/BUP stuff!](rusted-crutches.tumblr.com)


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